Rhubarb
Rheum × hybridum
Needs a cold winter. Eat the stalks; the leaves are toxic.
Hardiness: zones 3 to 8
Light: full sun to part shade
Size: about 3 ft tall, 4 ft wide
Harvest: April to June
From: Siberia and China
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: food.
Hardy in zones 3 to 8.
The story
Rhubarb came from Siberia and northwest China, where the root was a prized purgative traded along the Silk Road at prices above cinnamon. Only in 1800s England, when cheap sugar met forced spring stalks, did anyone think to eat it as pie.
Planting
Full sun in cool climates, afternoon shade where summers are hot; rich, drained soil. Plant crowns in early spring, 3 feet apart. It needs winter cold to thrive.
Growing
Feed heavily with compost, water in dry summers, and cut flower stalks as they appear. Do not harvest the first year; divide every six years.
Harvest and use
Pull, don't cut, stalks from spring to early summer, taking no more than a third. Only the stalk is edible; the leaves are poisonous.
What to watch for
Crown rot in wet ground, and heat, which it hates.
See if Rhubarb fits your yard
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More perennial vegetables, greens and herbs
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home